Madrid - The minister of Health, Silvia Lutucuta, said on Monday in Madrid City, Spain, that Human Papillomavirus Vaccines (HPV) and Malaria vaccines will be part of the public vaccination calendar.
The minister, who was speaking to the press during the Global Conference on the Impact of Vaccines, which is taking place from 13 to 15 of the current month, stressed that the HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer and the Angolan private sector already has it.
She said that the government wants to make the vaccine available to the public in an easier way, in order to reduce the high costs that are done by the private sector.
Silvia Lutucuta also reported that the same effort is being made to get the malaria vaccine, within the framework of partnerships with multilateral organizations and the United Nations System.
"The HPV vaccine exists in the private sector, but at a very high cost. The problem was linked to the fact that until recently it was produced in small quantities, a situation that has changed, because it is now produced in large quantities, allowing us to obtain it at reduced prices", he stressed.
The minister also pointed, as a challenge, to reach the milestone of zero doses, immunizing all children, as well as to strengthen the operational cold chains of vaccination campaigns and invest more in staff training.
To this end, she said that Angola has the support of Gavi - Alliance for Vaccines and other strategic partners, stressing that between 2000 and 2017 it was classified as a middle-income country which made the Executive to bear all the costs with the vaccine.
Sílvia Lutucuta also revealed that President João Lourenço is being considered a vaccination champion, as international recognition for the efforts to reach the level of immunization against Covid-19.
She said that the recognition comes due to the commitment developed in the fight against Covid-19 and the special assistance for the social sector.
At the conference, Angola will be represented by President João Lourenço, whose speech is scheduled for the 14th, with the objective of sharing the gains, challenges and perspectives with vaccination in Angola and in Africa.
The minister Sílvia Lutucuta will participate in two panels, namely "Africa Tomorrow" and "Health, Prosperity, Quality and Opportunity", during which she will share the experience of using new information system technologies and the digital revolution in the strategy to fight Covid-19. FMA/VM/MRA/jmc
